The Hidden Toll of Invading Iraq
Anonymous
I am an Army Nurse Corps Captain stationed at Walter Reed Army Medical Center,
in Washington DC. I feel compelled to share with anyone who will listen what
I have seen. You see, when Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) troops are evacuated
out of Germany, the huge majority are brought here to WRAMC by Air Force flight
nurses and docs. I do not have access to any of the numbers of how many wounded
and what types of injuries, etc., but I can honestly tell you that the OIF wounded
occupy more than half of our two major intensive care units at any given time.
At times, we get so full while expecting more to arrive, that we have to hound
the docs to transfer somebody out of our unit to a ward upstairs so we have
beds for these soldiers. Most of these wounded soldiers come into our unit on
a ventilator breathing for them, with severe wounds caused by Improvised Explosive
Devices (IEDs) or AK-47 gunshot wounds. Many, many soldiers have already lost
limbs or eyes before they even get to us, and many have received dozens of units
of blood before they left Germany.
I am privileged to take care of these brave men and women. But it breaks my
heart to realize that the incredible losses that they and their loved ones will
have to deal with for the rest of their lives seem to have not been for the
good of our country. Rather, their pain and sorrow have merely allowed a few
greedy souls to make a power grab for more wealth and control. One of my dear
friends has tried to convince me that this is all part of Gods plan, and
the death and pain is for some greater purpose that our leaders are not telling
us yet.
I wish I could believe her. It would make my job and daily life much easier,
but I cannot buy it. I apologize to the reader for my tangential thought processes,
but this never-ending situation is getting to many military nurses. Anyway,
the following is my main point in reaching out to you.
As you might be aware, the press is being tightly controlled and what is being
reported from a medical standpoint is only a fraction of the true reality. Yes,
I do believe the daily number of killed that CNN and whoever report is accurate.
What I am saying is that the walking wounded are being sorely ignored.
Dont believe me? Walter Reed is an open base, not a tightly controlled
fort. Just have a valid ID and consent to a vehicle search. Then park, and walk
inside. You will see so many 20-something, mostly men, missing arms, legs, and
eyes. The blinders covering your eyes will be ripped away as you see the poor
families making their daily walk from the Malogne house to the wards and units
to see their sons or husbands.
It is so sad to see a young wife or fiancée cry over her honey who was
in Iraq less than one month before losing both legs, and who has had several
abdominal surgeries that leave his belly crisscrossed with staples, and now
he is fighting for his life from the infection that the injuries have caused.
And that is just one example of what I saw this week. I will spare you any more
wrenching true stories.
God help our men and women in uniform. Please do something to end this madness.
Dover to DC March
On March 14-15, just before the first anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq,
military families and peace groups organized a march from Dover Air Force Base
in Delaware to the White House. Dover is the base where the bodies of US soldiers
killed in Iraq are flown into the US. Not even the victims families are
allowed to be present when bodies are brought onto the base. The Bush administration
refuses to allow any media photographs of the flag draped coffins. This two-day
event included a memorial procession, ceremonies, a visit to Walter Reed Army
Medical Center and delivery of a call at the White House to end the occupation
and war.